DRC : Towards a new tension between Kinshasa and Kigali
For a while now, tension has been escalating between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, two neighboring countries. The latest event involves the death of a Congolese soldier shot by the Rwandan army, which has taken responsibility for the incident.
In a statement released this Tuesday, the Rwandan army declared that it had shot a Congolese soldier. The Congolese soldier allegedly crossed the Rwandan border in the Rubavu district in the west.
According to information from Kigali authorities, the Congolese soldier was firing at Rwandan patrols. The statement specifies that two other Congolese soldiers accompanying the deceased soldier were arrested by patrols, supported by the local surveillance brigade named Irondo.
According to Rwanda, the Congolese soldiers had with them an AK-47 rifle, four magazines, about a hundred rounds of ammunition, as well as a protective vest and packets of cannabis.
The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), which also reported the loss of a human life among their ranks, deplore the approach of the Rwandan army, which ignored the Joint Verification Mechanism for the repatriation of soldiers in this common occurrence.
« This situation of Congolese or Rwandan soldiers straying and being apprehended on Rwandan or Congolese territory is common. Each time, the Joint Verification Mechanism has always been involved for their repatriation. Unfortunately, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo regret having shot one of these soldiers. They simply crossed the border inadvertently », states a FARDC statement.
This incident occurs in a context of tension between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Kinshasa accusing Kigali of supporting the M23 rebellion. For several months, the armed group has been conducting offensives in the eastern part of the DRC. Recently, UN experts highlighted in a report that Rwanda was supporting the M23 rebels.
It is worth noting that currently, Burundi has closed its borders with Rwanda due to poor neighborly relations. Additionally, Rwandan nationals are no longer well-received in Burundian territory. It is hoped that the African Union will intervene in this conflict before the situation takes a different turn.
